First Loaded China-Europe Block Train (Hamburg–Hefei) Returns

With a long whistle, the first loaded China-Europe block train (Hamburg–Hefei) arranged by Hefei International Landport Development Co., Ltd (HILD) returned slowly to the logistics base in the railway Hefeibei Station in a drizzling spring rain on February 19, 2018 at 16:18.

Carrying 42 standard containers of machinery equipment and food products, this first loaded return train left Hamburg, Germany, on January 31 at 14:00 local time, then it went through Poland, Russia, and Kazakhstan, entered China at Alashankou (Alataw Pass), and then arrived at the logistics base of the railway Hefeibei Station on February 19 after running 11,000 kilometers in only 19 days.

When facing the problem that the freight supply for return trains is scarce, HILD actively guided the enterprises operating the return trains to take market survey, and gradually cultivated international market. In order to save logistics cost and business transaction time for the enterprises in the countries along the Belt and Road and enhance the international competitiveness of the Hefei China-Europe block train, HILD properly increased the frequency of the train service, which has enlarged the influence and attraction of Hefei in the countries along the Belt and Road.

It is learned that the freight for the six loaded return trains before 2018 was managed by freight forwarders themselves separately. Unfortunately, the less attractive business could not provide adequate freight supply and make the train service regular. At the beginning of 2018, HILD started to organize forwarders to jointly see to freight preparations for return trains and promote Hefei as an international cargo distribution center. The commitment is to make Hefei a people friendly and business friendly inland high ground for opening up in China abiding by international norms in doing business.  

In the next step, HILD will further study the feasibility for opening a special block train service for transporting timber from Russia to China, make Hefei a timber distribution center and turn Hefei International Land Port into a port of entry for imported timber and plant seedlings. In addition, HILD will make efforts to turn Hefei International Land Port into an industrial platform, promote effective flow of commodities, service, capital, information and logistics, so as to further improve the influence, competitiveness and resource distribution capacity of Hefei in the world.